Pre-Order The Pro Football Draft Preview Today!!

NFL Draft Scouting Report: Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State

Small school product to top draft prospect: an evaluation of Carson Wentz.

Carson Wentz - QB, North Dakota State

Position: Quarterback
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 237 lbs
Year: Senior
Hometown: Bismarck, North Dakota
Experience: Sr. -  2 year starter
Age: 23

 

Measurables:

40yd dash: 4.77s
Broad jump: 118.0 Inches
Vertical: 30.5 Inches
3-cone: 6.86s

 

Career Notes:

As a 5'8'' freshman, Carson Wentz didn't start playing the quarterback position until his senior year of high school.  He was not highly recruited, and accepted a scholarship at North Dakota State.  Wentz became a full-time starter in 2014, playing in all 16 games and leading ND St. to the FCS National Championship.  He threw for over 3,000 yards to go along with 31 total touchdowns, setting school records in each category. 

He missed eight games his senior season due to a broken wrist yet returned in January to win another FCS title. Wentz finished his career with a 19-3 record as a starter.  Although Wentz didn't play against top tier competition in the Missouri Valley Conference, he showcased his impressive ability in the Senior Bowl and at the combine.  He has shown the mental toughness on and off the field needed to play in the NFL and enters the draft as one of the clear top quarterback prospects.

Injury Report: 

With several arm and shoulder injuries in high school, Wentz also injured his wrist midseason in 2015.  Wentz doesn't appear to carry any of these ailments with him as he prepares for the draft. 

Career Stats:

For a full breakdown of Carson Wentz's career stats follow the link below:
http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/players/210322/;_ylt=A0LEVkCiT.dWlEUABmMnn...

Analysis:

  • Arm Strength: 4.0/5.0: Perhaps his largest commodity, Wentz has the arm strength to make every throw on the field.  He has a very quick release and is decisive on short routes.  He's not afraid to throw deep and has throws a high arching ball downfield.  Sometimes his arm strength gets in the way as he overthrows receivers on deep patterns.  Wentz constantly tested defenders on the boundary in college, showing strength to reach the sidelines on deep out routes.  He has natural arm strength to throw from awkward angles, but he needs to improve his footwork to gain more velocity.
  • Accuracy: 3.0/5.0:  Carson Wentz's arm strength and large frame allows him to hit tight windows on quick routes. On deep throws the ball sails past the receiver at times.  He had many of his passes dropped in college which lowered his completion percentage.  He needs to work on his ball placement at times, leading receivers into coverage too often and leaving them susceptible to big hits.   
  • Athleticism: 3.5/5.0:  Great mobility to move the pocket to find a cleaner window.  He attempts to escape the pocket too often at times, but has the speed to make long strides downfield.  He had 1,028 rushing yards in his career at North Dakota State and tested as one of the most explosive quarterbacks at the combine.  He's not a fluid runner in space but accelerates quickly when a lane opens up.
  • Leadership: 4.5/5.0: Always a coach on or off the field, Wentz was the heart and soul of the Bison over the past 2 years.  He wasn't playing with or against top tier talent, yet he constantly motivated his receivers to make plays after the catch and win their one-on-ones.  Sometimes he tries to do too much on a play, not knowing when to cut his losses and throw it away.  He exhibits the mental toughness to make play calls at the line of scrimmage and shouldn't have a rough transition learning an NFL playbook. 

Summary: Carson Wentz looks the part of an NFL quarterback due to his tall, sturdy frame, impressive arm strength, and athletic ability to make plays on his own.  He should probably have a redshirt season in the NFL to improve his footwork and adapt to the speed of the NFL, but the lack of quality quarterbacks on the market will almost certainly lead to Wentz starting in year one.  He is an impeccable student of not only the game, but as a mentor and scholar, and he should have the tools to become a successful quarterback in the NFL.

Overall Grade: 3.75/5.0  

 

If drafted by the Packers:

Wentz is a prototypical passer with impressive size and mobility at the quarterback position.  Regardless of his challenge in transitioning to the speed of NFL defenders, he is revered as the most pro-ready quarterback in the draft.  He will most certainly be drafted well before the Packers are on the clock at pick 27.  If he experiences a fall on draft day, Ted Thompson could view Wentz as another quarterback for Mike McCarthy to groom.

With the loss of Scott Tolzien to the Colts, Brett Hundley remains the sole backup to Aaron Rodgers.  Hundley looked impressive in the preseason last year, but Thompson will almost certainly bring another signal caller to training camp.  My guess is a day 3 pick or undrafted rookie free agency for another quarterback. 

Video:

 

 

0 points
 

Comments (1)

Fan-Friendly This filter will hide comments which have ratio of 5 to 1 down-vote to up-vote.
MarkinMadison's picture

March 15, 2016 at 10:06 am

Congratulations to North Dakota State Coach Chris Klieman. Chris QBed my HS football team to the State Championship game and quarterfinals in consecutive years. Chris was clearly the best athlete on the team; his only deficiency was one he couldn't control - height. Went to Northern Iowa as a QB recruit and got switched to safety because they liked some guy name Kurt Warner. I really don't know what better testament to his coaching skills there could be than making a lightly regarded recruit into a first-round NFL draft prospect from a school that only gets on TV once a year.

0 points
0
0